Page 224 - Randy Penn Everything Knots Book

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SPECIAL-PURPOSE KNOTS

continue to use fishing knots that are now used on monofilament,
and before that, catgut. Some can be better used with different
knots, and some people enjoy experimenting with which knots
work best with different lines. Some of these new lines are so thin
and strong that they can easily cut into your skin when pulling
them tight. Gloves can provide some protection.

Rock Climbing and Mountain Rescue
Rock climbing and mountain rescue involves specialized ropes
and knots. Controlling your weight suspended from a rope is helped
by special hardware used in combination with unique friction
hitches. The rope used, called Kernmantle, has a rough outer coating
to protect it from abrasion, and special friction knots are chosen that
will not damage this outer layer. General knots like those throughout
this book are also employed, including some based on the Figure
Eight form.

ALERT!

Great care must be taken when using a knot under different
circumstances than you would normally use and trust it in.
While many loops, bends, and hitches can be used in a wide
variety of applications, some knots behave very differently
when used with different materials or attachments.

Boating and Sailing
Because boats don’t stay where you park them like cars do, they
need anchor ropes and dock lines to control them when not under
power. Often, these lines need to be fastened to a particular shape,
an example of which is the horn cleat. Especially on sailboats, horn
cleats are mounted on several places throughout the boat, so knowl-
edge of the Horn Cleat Hitch is important. A fixed loop will fasten
to many different shapes, and by converting it to a running loop as
shown in Chapter 6, even large posts can be accommodated.

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